Beale Earns NSCAA First Team All-American Honors

Dec 13, 2013

YORK, PA – York College senior men's soccer defender Aaron Beale (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley) was named an NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division III First Team All-American as announced by the organization on Friday.

He is the fourth Spartan to earn first team All-American honors joining former Spartan greats Jon Ports, Chris Ports and Andrew Wheeler. Jon Ports was a 2009 first team pick in addition to being the Division III National Player of the Year while he also earned first team honors in 2007 and 2008. Wheeler and Chris Ports were first team picks in 2006 for the Green and White.

Beale's All-American honors come on the heels of his All-South Atlantic Region accolades announced earlier in the week.

Beale has been a rock defensively for the Spartans for the last four years. The Spartans accumulated a four-year record of 64-16-11 (76.4%) and a Capital Athletic Conference record of 24-2-4 (86.7%). The Spartans won four Capital Athletic Conference championships and made four NCAA Tournament appearances with two trips to the Sweet 16.

Beale had a fantastic senior year as the Spartans went 19-3-1 en route to their fifth straight conference championship and ninth straight NCAA Tournament berth. Beale played in and started 22 of the Spartans' 23 games. He tallied eight points on two goals and four assists from his defensive position. Beale led a defense that allowed just 14 goals in 2,103:47 of play, good for a goals against average of 0.60. The Spartans recorded 14 shutouts for the year.

Spartan head coach Mark Ludwig knows the value of Beale to the Spartan program.

"Aaron has been very good for us the last four years," said Ludwig. "I am happy to see him recognized for his outstanding play. He has been one of, if not the, best backs we have had during my time in York. He will certainly be hard to replace. He went from a solid contributor as a freshman to a first team All-American as a senior. It is great to see kids work hard to reach the pinnacle of their ability."

During Beale's tenure in the Spartan defensive backfield, the Spartans registered 50 shutouts in 91 games and recorded a goals against average of 0.62.

In his career, Beale played in 85 matches as he scored 18 points on five goals and eight assists. He recorded a pair of game-winning goals for the Spartans during his stellar career.

Beale closed out his career as a three-time first team All-Capital Athletic Conference honoree as he earned the honor in each of his last three years in the Green and White. He was a two-time, first team All-South Atlantic Region selection.

The Spartans concluded the season ranked seventh in the D3soccer.com poll and tenth in the NSCAA/Continental Tire Division III Coaches' Poll.